A Dragon's Tail: The Story Behind Toothless
by RandyCunningham IsTheCheese
Summary: You know all about Hiccup, right? But what do you know about Toothless? Where he came from? What he thought? How he felt? What he was doing when Hiccup wasn't around... This is Toothless's story. He deserves his point of view in the movie... Praise for ADT: TSBT - its HTTYD..toothless style and its perfect - bladeninja. Love it its like watching it for the first time.. - Spyrofan34
1. Chapter 1

_**People often always write long authors notes, like I do in my other books, but not in this one. Unless I have to add something. So anyway, RC out. Booya!**_

The wind is howling loud and cold off the coast of Dragon Island. In the depth of winter, all us dragons are cowering in the Inferno Mountain, only going out to bring food to feed the Great One. No one dared not to feed the Great One. She was the queen and we all obey her. She makes us do it. She draws us to her. And no one can resist her. No one.

My mother is sick. The frail old Night Fury has caught Freeze, the deadly illness. Nowadays, she can only just bring large enough prey to feed the queen. She has been threaten with death by The Great One many times. But death is so near to her now, in a few moons time, The Great One will not have to kill her. She will be gone already. But I cannot let my mother down. I must be strong. As Night Furies, we have to maintain our reputation and I will not be the first of my race to cower when fear is upon us. I can already fly and I will soon be living on my own so she will not have to care for me any longer.

I get up from the cold stone floor and stretch my legs as I watch the opening to the Mountain for signs of my mother coming back from the hunt. After a short amount of time, I start to get bored. I gaze around the cavern at the thousands of dragons swarming over the rocks. All of them struggling to survive with The Great Ones expectations. _Why does she do this to us? She's big enough to hunt for herself?_ Though I don't speak these thoughts out loud. I'd be sentencing my death by doing that. So instead I keep them to myself. A low growl sounds behind me and I spin around.

[Waiting for your mummy, little baby?] comes the mocking snarl of Flicker in Dragonese-the language us dragons speak. _**(sorry guys, the funny square brackets mean that they're talking in Dragonese)**_ The young dragon is a Monstrous Nightmare, the same age as me. He has flaming red colouring, long, hooked talons and giant fangs. Much like those of other Nightmares. Though we were born in the same season, he is a fair bit bigger then me.

[Yes. I am waiting]. I raise my chin a little higher as I reply, to see that I don't look undignified.

Flicker snickers in an evil way. As he does, his friends Doom and Dread - a Zipple Back - come up behind him and smile wickedly. They both are green and brown in colour. The standard colouring for a Zipple Back.

[Does this wittle bittle dwagon still need his mother?] asks Doom in a babiesh tone.

[Can he not do anything for his own?] asks Dread.

They all start laughing and I look at the ground in embarresment. It's a bit true. My mother hasn't even given me a name yet, let alone teach me to hunt or any other skill. But I can't expect her too. She's so old...

Suddenly, without warning, Flicker swipes me across the face and sends me sprawling. My head is spinning as I stagger to my feet. _Wha-what..._

[You Night Furies think you're _so tough_ and that no ones gonna bother you.] hisses Flicker as he sheathes and unsheathes his talons, [think again.]

Doom and Dread both nip at my feet as I stand up and I jump desparatly to avoid them. Then Flicker spins around and trips me up with his tail. I crash to the ground, defeated. Other dragons have stopped and look at the scene unfolding before them but none lift a claw to stop it. Here in the Mountain, it's fend for yourself.

Flicker towers over me, a dark shadow. [you see? You guys aren't top dogs. You're a disgrace to the name of Dragons. Even your mother can't defend the pride of the Night Furies.] he spits.

My rage is boiling over. He can hurt me, tease me, bully me but he may not insult my family. I do something I have never done before. I shoot a small fast burst of burning blue flames straight at Flicker. It goes right into his open mouth. There is a smell of burning flesh. He reals back in pain with a shriek and coughs out clouds of smoke. I'm flabbergasted myself. How did I do that? But what I know is that this fight is over. I guess we aren't so fireproof on the inside.

Flicker glares at me with one twitching eye. [next time runt. Next time.] he snarls and coughs one last time. He shoves Doom and Dread to get them moving. [Come on. We're outta here.] he looks over his shoulder and his raging eye bores into me one last time before he disappears; swallowed up by the masses of dragons in the cave.

Well that went better then expected. And that burn is going to leave a mark in his attitude. For A LONG TIME. But his rage is going to last that long as well. I just have to hope he will not take it out on me. I now realize what I have gotten myself into and it isn't good. Surly he will be back sometime? I guess I must learn how to use that fire blast if I am to be able to defend myself.

As the gaze of the dragons that were watching the events drift away, I settle down on the ground with my paws tucked underneath me. The hard rocky floor is uncomfortable and the sharp points poke into me but its the best I can get. I lay my head on the ground, an eye on the entrance of the caves as I sit. The minutes drag on that I am waiting for. The minutes turn to hours. Slowly but surly, my eyes grow heavy with sleep. I give a long yawn and close them completely. After the previous events, all I need is some rest...

* * *

I jerk awake from the sleep that was never meant to be by the frightened shrieks and squawks of the other dragons. _What's happening?! _I also start to shriek along with the other dragons. Natural instinct. _What's going on?_

All heads are turned to the center of the cave. Where the Great One sleeps. _This only happens when..._

Then it dawns on me. I stare out over the huge hole in the middle. Hovering over it is a crooked old Night Fury.

[Mother-] I try to call out but the words don't form. Like being stuck in a dream and all you want to do is scream; but you can't. _N-no! How! Why! No!_

Suddenly, the queens voice thunders through out the cave. It's a bone-jarring, rock-crumbling boom as she roars with all the strength of the great God Thor himself. I flatten myself to the ground and try desperately to cover my ears with my paws.

[IS THIS ALL YOU BRING ME!?]

Already terrified dragons are fleeing the caves in fear of what is going to happen. My mother is barely keeping air borne. Both because of her frail wings and The Great One's rage.

[It's the skyless-land-prisoners!] mother pleads [they are too strong! I cannot get enough food!]

Another roar rumbles the ground and dragons are flying up in shrieking clouds of talons and wings to escape. _This can't be happening!_ I am standing dead still on the spot, my legs ridged and unable to move. My vision is going blurry with rare dragon tears and I feel like I'm going to pass out.

[THIS IS NO EXCUSE!] the queen booms. Then, is see a giant, blue-scaled hand reaching out of the smoke of the pit. It is the biggest hand I have ever seen with claws the length of ten huge Monstrous Nightmares! It must be larger then the most gigantic boulder in the world! And its rapping around my mother, trapping her like helpless prey.

[NOO!] I scream, my voice returned. But it's too late. The hand is already dragging her down with her crying out for mercy. But she will never get any from the Great One.

I dive forward off the rock ledge that was our home. I flap forward as fast as my short wings can carry me over the resting place of the Great One. I try to dive down to my mother, my eyes watering at the speed that I am traveling, my wing fluttering. But my mother disappears beneath the smoke. And her screams are drowned out.

[NOOOOOOO! MOTHER, NOOOOOOOO!] but it is in vain. She is gone.

I hover in the air, my eyes wide in shock and absolute pure terror. My body feels like it is going to crumble into a thousand pieces.

[No...] then before I know what I am doing, I turn around and fly as fast as lightning to the opening in the mountain top. I need to get away from here! Far away! And never come back! I burst outs into the open evening air. The moment I do, the wind blows me side ways. I spiral out of control and tumble through the air. All I can see is the white white white of the blizzard snow. I try to open my wings but the gale pins them to my side, useless. A huge rocks looms up in front of me. I'm over the water now. I throw myself to the left and dodge the boulder. I flip myself so I am not flying upside down. I screw up my eyes at the wind that is beating at my eyes. I can't see anything! Where am I going!? Which way is up?! _Open your wings! _I scream at myself. I lift them just enough to be able to navigate my way around the treacherous sea-rocks jutting out of the ocean taller than a Zippleback. I look down and see water. I'm over the ocean. My reflection is flashing by on the shining surface. But I hardly have a split second to admire it. I'm blow off course again by another burst of wind. I have no idea where to go!

After what seems like hours of fighting the wind, I see a light in the distance. It's a small fire in the crevice of another sea-rock. But this one seems to be shaped into something I can't make out in the blizzard. Then I see it. The island. Somewhere to land! I bank to the left and sore towards the land, the wind whipping at my face. I give out a roar of anguish and flap on last time. I propels me enough to be flying over the island. Below me I can just make out some trees and some funny looking structures that I know not what they are. Maybe they are the caves of those skylesses I have heard of. But I have no time to wonder. I have to keep pressing on.

Suddenly, something goes whizzing past my head. I jerk back in shock and look down. On the ground, some strange creature is holding a stick topped with flames. What is it? I can't see! But a gust of strong wind pushes me forward and I am left the question myself. What was that thing that flew by? What's going on?! I don't even remember why I'm here!

I'm exhausted from flying so far. I have to stop! But where?! I move my gaze all around what is below me but my eyes are growing heavy again and I can't think straight. The cold is freezing me right to the bone. Like its over coming me. Finally, I give in as I black out . I fall down down down. Straight down. I don't even feel it when I hit the ground.

* * *

I wake up with a painful throbbing in my head. I slowly open my eyes and gaze around. _Where am I? _The sun is shining brightly through gaps in the tall pine trees. Birds are tweeting and whistling in the branches above. It's an early winters morning. I would admire the beauty of the day when I remember why I am here, what happened back at the Dragon Island. I hang my head woefully, all good thoughts gone. How could I have let this happen? I could have saved my mother! I could have done something! But now she's gone.

Then I feel a new emotion rising up within me.

Hatred. Pure, hot rage. It's boiling in my stomach, filling my whole being. I can feel my eyes flaring with anger. This is no one else's fault other then...The Skylesses. They didn't allow my mother to bring enough food. They prevented her from meeting The Great Ones expectations. And they shall pay with blood. I will avenge my mother! All that has happened, all my previous worries are now the past. That was a long time ago. I have changed in these two days. I am no longer the poor, helpless young dragon who once cowered in the caves. I am the terror of the skies.

I lean back my head and give the un-earthly shriek of the most vicious of all the dragon species.

I am **THE NIGHT FURY!**

_**(Please leave a review to tell me if I should continue)**_


	2. This is Berk

**_Incase you haven't caught on, the dragon was young Toothless and that was his whole back story. But anyway, READ ON!_**

I hover just above the other dragons who keep there fair distance from me. Which is probably safer for them. They're all scared of me. And they should be.

They are attacking the Skyless village for food to give to the Great One. Pah! I have no need for that. I have not been to Dragon Island in five years! I live free and on my own. I am the first independent Night Fury. It was hard the first year being by myself, especially through the harsh winter, but I have not had to serve the queen for that time. And I am the most feared of the dragons around so no one would dare tell me to come back. No one. Not even Flicker. Although I have never heard of him since.

I have also gone up in the ranks for the Skylesses. They are terrified of me. Even the sound of my roar sends them sprawled on the floor under their funny wood boards. It's a rush every time I swoop down and blast my hot blue flames on their pitiful dens. I sometimes wonder why they made them like that. A Terrible Terror could set fire to them! It's ridiculous!

I also sometimes ask myself why they even stay here, on the island. I would just leave if dragons were attacking me every night. But they seem to have some kind of temperament issues.

I watch the dragons below me, my eyes reflecting the flames burning the Skyless settlement. Nadders are rummaging in the pens for sheep, Zipple Backs are tourching dens. I wait for the right moment to strike and where...

_Ah! Their rock-launchers! _I think as a Monstrous Nightmare climbs up a rock-launcher in a flurry of fire, its scales alight in the inferno.

_Watch out scaleless insects! _I look down at the Skylesses, a gleam in my green eyes. I'm camouflaged in the starry black sky until now. I fold back my wings and go screaming through the air. My pulse is rising and my tail flaps are fluttering behind me. _Here I come!_

I give the warning shriek before I fire. A Skyless shouts something and they all hide away under the boards. _Haha!_ There are three reasons Skylesses fear me. I never show myself. I never steal food and - I shoot out a powerful burst of flame that shatters their rock-launchers - I never miss. I pull up and spiral into the sky once more. Victory! These Skylesses are missing out! Being not able to fly? It must be torture! But I can't imagine any dragon helping one to learn how to fly. Yes, the day a Skyless will fly is the day I get caught. And no one EVER catches a Night Fury. EVER.

I curve up and do a mid-air back flip and fly on my back. I spin round and round and round. Oh the freedom! The joy of flight! The air racing past my face and I give a roar and blast a burst of flame in front of me. I fly through the fire and emerge again on the other side. Much better then my first flying experience in the snow storm. Much much better. I flap my broad wings once and take off into the inky blackness spotted with glittering stars. The chaos below me with the roars of dragons and the shouts of Skylesses is a dim rumble as I soar higher and higher up. This is the only time I get to have any fun in the sky without a thousand metal-pointed-sticks shot at me. With the Skylesses distracted, the space is all mine! I climb higher and higher on the invisible night-ladder. Up up up! Then I stop in mid-flight. I fold my wings to my side and fall straight down. I close my eyes as I tumble. As I'm a few feet from the ground, I open my wings and soar over the dens. _Take this you selfish rats!_

I let loose another shot of fire and hit their rock-launcher once more. It breaks completely and a lone Skyless leaps off to the ground before he is blown to bits. _Yes, run away you worms! Feel my wrath! You will pay for the death of every dragon you have killed! Everyone of you murderers! Every single one of you is heartless and crule!_

I flap up and soar straight over the tiny Skylesses. They're frantically running around on their two stick-like legs to put out fires and guard their food. Pathetic! I look down and see one very weedy-looking Skyless pushing a funny looking wooden device in front of him, whatever it is. He seems rather small for a Skyless but that doesn't bother me. Besides, a Nightmare seems to be following it up the small hill where its pushing the wood thing too. Good bye Skyless, hello Nightmare's breakfast. But this doesn't concern me. I bank left and fly into more open, starry sky. This is a bit risky because I will be siluetted against the stars but all the Skylesses are busy trying to fight off the other dragons so I'm safe for now.

I feel that my work is done so I swerve around into the quieter parts of the sky, the dragons behind me. I start flying back towards where I live now. A natural dip in the ground with a lake in the center, just a bit deeper into this islands forests. It holds so many fish in the waters but I can hardly ever catch any. It's not my strong point. Although I used to love the fish my mother brought me. But that was a long time ago, and I don't think about that any more. I don't think about my past. Or the Inferno Mountain. Or the other dragons. Or my mother...

As I scold myself for thinking of that, my senses dim. I'm not focussed on what is going on below me. I snap back to reality and sense something on the ground. Worried that its danger, I start gathering flames in my mouth. I give my warning shriek. But before I do anything, there is a _snap _and a _click. _Something is flying through the air towards me. I have not a second to think before I feel a heavy weight wrap around me. _What! What is this?! _I struggle and twist and turn but its got me in its hold. I start falling. Falling and falling and falling. There is suddenly a sharp, stinging pain in my tail. I screech out in anguish as I plummet into the forest, out of control. For the second time in my life. All I feel is the throbbing pain and the trees breaking beside me before I crash to the ground. Then every thing goes black as the sky.

_**Sorry this is so short. I'll try make the next one longer.**_


	3. The Downed Dragon

I wake up, thinking I'm in my home. I can feel something on my side. I move my eyes up and see a Terrible Terror bouncing on me, his other friends watching him in amazement. It's not every day a Terrible Terror touches a Night Fury. I jerk the arm that he's jumping on. He squawks and leaps off me in fright. All the Terrors fly away as quick as they can, making their funning little chirping sounds as they flee.

I snort at their stupidity. Foolish Terrors. I try to stretch but feel that I am limited to how far I can move my limbs. I try again but I can't even move my wings. I start to panic but then I remember. Something shot me down. And now I am trapped. _No one ever catches a Night Fury. Except for now._

I suddenly feel weak and tired, my sides heaving as I take deep, long breaths. The pain in my tail is still there. It feels like the end has been ripped off! I try angle my head so I can see my tail but my neck won't allow it. In fact, hardly any of my body wants to move at all. Who did this? How did they do it? I've never seen a rope-trap move so fast!

My eyes are sagging and I feel like I just want to sleep. But I can't. I have to stay alert. If those Terrors found me, then there will be others that know that I'm here. And not only dragons. What if a Skyless found me?! I can't defend myself like this! I can't...I can't... But the pain is too much for me. I close my eyes and fall instantly to sleep. Much against my will.

* * *

I must have been asleep for a few hours. The forest is very silent, no birds tweet, no leaves rustle. My eyes lids snap open when I hear something stumbling through the bushes. _What is that?!_

I hear a crack, a branch whip forward and a cry of pain. _That sounds like a Skyless! Don't let it be a Skyless! Don't let it be a Skyless! _But I'm pretty sure it is. I close my eyes and pretend to be dead. If I hold my breath, maybe it will leave me alone. No one wants a dead dragon.

There is a shuffling sound as something climbs the small dirt hill that is just in front of me and there is a loud frightened gasp. _Oh no, oh no, oh no. _I sense something looking at over the mound at me. I open my eyes the tiniest bit. It's as I feared! A Skyless. But this is the one I saw the previous night, pushing the funny wooden thing. The one who looked so scrawny. Surely he could not have caught me? No one like him catches a Night Fury. He was being stalked by a Nightmare!

It clumsily draws his sharp-poke which looks like a silver claw. It stumbles down the hill and quickly hides behind a large white boulder, breathing rapidly. _Stupid Skyless. What's it hoping to achieve? _It looks over his shoulder around the rock and I close my eyes again, just to be safe. I hold my breath as long as I can. _Go away. Go away_. The Skyless starts chattering and exclaims happily when he stands by me. I don't know much of their language but my mother taught me what she knew of it and I can tell that he is excited. It props its foot up on my side and I can't resist the instinct to get him off. I jerk my arm like I did earlier and the Skyless tumbles back into the boulder with a gasp. I hear it scrabble about in order to get back onto its two spindly legs. It approaches me carefully.

The Skyless is standing next to me, sharp-poke in front of it, his hand shaking. I slowly. Open. My eyes.

I'm starring right at the blade, the sun shining off it brilliantly, like water. My eyes move to the Skyless. He looks at me, then the ropes that bind me, then at me again.

[do it] I say which sounds to him like a shallow roar, for Skylesses don't speak Dragonese. He must just finish me. I have lost all signs of respect and dignity. My life is in ruins. My tail is injured. I have failed all the Night Furies. I have no reason to live.

He takes a deep breath and his expression turns from sympathetic to determined. He looks into my eyes once more then starts saying something quietly and adjusts his grip on the sharp-poke. He then turns to me again and exclaims something loudly. I don't know what he has said but it was not in a compassionate way. He is going to kill me.

I give a merciful growl. I take back everything I have said. I want to live! But the Skyless is not swayed. He lifts the sharp-poke above his head. My heart is beating slower and slower, my breath in long, deep gasps. Death is near.

The Skyless looks down at me, right into my eye. I gaze back. Don't kill me. Please don't kill me. I'll find a way out myself.

My eyes bore into his and widen. Please don't. We stare at each other for a few quick moments, Skyless and dragon eye meet for possibly the first time. I think I see a look of sympathy pass through his eyes, but if there was, it is gone in less then a second. He closes his eye lids tight once again and lifts the sharp-poke higher. I'm not getting through to him. I give one last growl of misery and let my head fall to the ground. I wait for the final blow, the sharp blade to pierce my skin and into my heart. _I'm coming mother._

But nothing happens.

I vaguely hear him mutter something under his breath, maybe praising himself over my defeat but I'm not listening. I'm still waiting for him to end my life. Waiting for the blade. He has me at his mercy.

But nothing happens.

Suddenly, there is a snap. My eyes whip open. _What's he doing? Why isn't he ending me? _There is another snap. I feel the rope around my legs fall away. _He's cutting me free? _There is a final snap and before I know what else to do, I leap forward and pin him to the boulder with one hand, my rage hot and boiling. His sharp-point drops out of his hand. I glare at him, my eyes flaring. He looks petrified as he gasps and struggles against my grasp but its pointless. I'm going to destroy him. Burn him to the crisp. No one catches a Night Fury! No one! But as I stare at him, my mind clears. I no longer see a dragon-killing land-prisoned Skyless before my eyes. I see me. Its like I'm looking into my own eyes. A terrified young dragon, waiting in the caves for his mother, worrying everyday that she will not come back from hunting. I see all those emotions in him. If I kill him, I will be killing myself. This one is different. He let me go.

But I won't look weak. I lift my wings and snarl, barring my teeth. I release him then give an ear-splitting roar that will leave him without the thought of hunting me down again. With that, I leap away and flap my wings to take to the sky. But I feel unbalanced. _What's going on?!_ I swerve sideways out of control and crash into a rock ledge with a frustrated roar. I get up and try again but end with the same result. I give a shriek as I tumble down. _Why am I doing this?! Why can't I fly straight?! _I need to head back to my home.

* * *

I charge through the forest on foot, the branches whipping my face but I don't stop. I'm going so fast that when I burst out of the forest, I don't see the dip in front of me which leads to my den. I fly straight over the edge and fall down into the gorge where I live. I screech in fear. I dig up dirt as I crash down onto the muddy ground. I give an angry sigh and slowly get to my feet and shake myself off. _That was weird! _I stumble forward and make my way towards the small cave where I store my food. I take this moment to recall what just happened. I can hardly remember what I did in those seconds where I had the Skyless in my hold. And when he had me. Why hadn't he finished me? It would of been easy. A simple plunge down and I would have been all over. But he didn't. I thought all the Skylesses were killers. Murdering dragons who are desperately trying to serve the Great One. This Skyless is special. He isn't like them.

I come to the cave, my stomach growling hungrily. Roots from the trees above knot around the arched entrance and a curtain of vines dangle in front. I part them with my snout and look inside - to see that it's empty, not a morsel left. Except for the few Terrible Terror scales on the floor.

I lean back my head and give an angry roar. _Why can't they feed themselves!_

[cursed Terrors!]

Now I will have to hunt for more food! Just another highlight of my wonderful day!

I lift my wings and give a flap, expecting to lift straight up and out of the gorge. But I get a few feet off the ground and loose my balance. _What the...?_ I slam into the stone sides. I scrabble frantically at the rock but I slip off and fall to the ground. This happened to me after I was freed by the Skyless! _What's wrong with me!?_ I flap again and soar as fast as I can to the opposite side. But I swerve away just before I crash into the wall again. I roar angrily again. Stop it! Fly straight! I scold myself. I try again and again and again until I collapse to the floor, exhausted. I feel defeated, a useless dragon who can't fly a few meters off the ground.

Then I look down at my tail. I feel like I am missing a feeling there. I then see that half of it is gone.


	4. Wounded

_Water. Nothing but water. Swirling around me, filling my every being. Everything is dim. The murky depths are shadowed and blurry. Something is holding me down, my mouth the only movable part of me. I feel like my lungs are going to burst. The water feels like a rock pressing down on me. My heart is slowing. My eyes growing weak. A dark figure looms up in front of me. It's huge and dark. I feel fear towards this shadow, more than a natural instinct. I feel a tug on my binds._

I jump awake straight onto my feet. My eyes dart around the ravine, my senses fully alert. Nothing. I'm completely dry. No raging currents; no precious air bubbles escaping my mouth. Just the birds tweeting in the woods above. It was all a dream. I relax a little. I get up and move over to the shade under an old tree, stretching my stiff legs. But I pause. _Or was it a dream?_ Night Furies have been know to have foresighting abilities. Almost like seeing into the future; but in dreams. I shake my head. _No, that's just a myth. Besides, how could I ever get trapped underwater? It's just a story crazy old dragons pass around in the caves._

I settle down under the tree, my paws tucked underneath my belly. I gaze around the ravine. _If maybe I could flap a little harder..._

[do not doubt your foresight] comes a crackly old voice behind me. I spin around, crouched low, my fangs bared. An old, wrinkly Gronckle stands in front of me. I snarl warningly.

[who are you!] _I thought I was the only dragon on this island!_

The Gronckle seems incredibly calm; simply walking past me and sits down. I jump around and face him again.

[I asked, who are you!] Inside I'm thinking: _this is the last thing I need! A fight! I can't defend myself. I can't fly, I'm starving, I'm injured._ I actually can't do this.

I drop my defensive position and simply let my head hang low.

[If you wish to kill me, do it know] I growl, [I have no means of defense.]

There is a pause. Then the old dragon speaks.

[That is not entirely true,] he states.

I look up, confused. [what do you mean? I cannot fight. Not like this.]

The Gronckle scratches behind his ear. [ah...but assistance comes in many shapes and sizes.]

I shake my head. _What is this hag babbling on about? _[Why are you here, green-blood?] I'm still not sure I can trust this ancient dragon. He could have associates with him; waiting in the forests. I glance nervously at the trees above.

[do not fear,] he croaks as if he's reading my mind, [I come alone]

I'm still not assured.

[but why?] I question.

[to help] he says plainly.

I snort, [I do not need help,] I lie, [Night Furies don't need help]

The Gronckle shakes his head sadly, [so young, yet your mind is plagued with thoughts of reputation and selfness]

I growl. _How dare he accuse me of such things! I am protecting the honor of the Night Furies._

The Gronckle looks at me, his amber eyes, full of wisdom, meet mine.

[Then tell me, Night-Fury-who-doesn't-need-help, how do you plan to escape here, hmm?] he cocks his head.

I look at the ground. [I'll...find a way] I lie again.

The Gronckle smiles a small smile then says. [well, I best be on my way then. There's no need for me to be here]

He waddles off, his bulky tail swinging behind him.

I look up and see him leaving. _No!_ I gallop forward and in front of him. [Wait!]

He stops and cocks an eyebrow at me. [yes?]

I pause and think, [err...how do I escape?] I blurt out the words before I can stop myself. What is this dragon going to do for me? How would he know?

The Gronckle shifts his feet into a different position. [Become young again.] he says simply as he spreads his small wings.

[What? How do I become young again? How is that going to help me? What do you mean?] I exclaim but he is already lifting off the ground and out of the ravine. [And remember,] he says, [help doesn't look like what you may seem]

I run forward and chase him on my feet as he hovers away. [No! Come back! I do need help! Don't leave!] I've reached the edge of the ravine and he's disappeared into the forest. [wait!] I launch myself forward at the wall and try desperately to claw at the rock. [come on come on come on!] but I fall back and open my wings to glide over the lake. I crash land on the bank. I get up and shake my wings. _I let my only chance of escape slip past me! How could I be so foolish!_ I flap once more to try and escape to follow him. I push off a log lying on the ground. I flap and flap and flap but I'm thrown off balance and swerve away from the wall. [No no no!] I roar frustratedly. I look up the steep rocky face, mocking me with its un reachable top. I try take off from the place I'm standing. I flap flap flap but fall backwards and crash on the ground. [Come back!] I try again at the same wall but with the same result. I stand up and angrily paw the ground. I stretch my wings and shake them about. _Maybe its not the part of my tail that is missing that's causing me to crash? _But i highly doubt its my wings.

_But why didn't that Gronckle help me?! He said he would!_ [ugh! Stupid Gronckle!] I shoot an angry burst of blue flames at the ground in front of me which incinerates the dirt at once. _I have to find him!_ I launch forward to the other side of the ravine, pushing as fast as I possibly can. But I lose my balance and shriek loudly as I slam back onto the ground right next to the lake. I give a frustrated sigh and flop down. I'm never going to catch him now.

There is a splash in the waters of the lake and the gleam of a fishes scales catch my eye. _I'm so hungry!_ My eyes brighten as I see the fish below. I wait and then dunk my head in the lake, trying to snap at the fish, but they swim away before I can catch them. [curses!] I come back up and lay my head on the ground. _There's no point. _Suddenly a small sound from the other side of the ravine alerts me. I slowly lift my head and look for what made that sound. My eyes stop on something crouched on one of the ledges of the wall. _What is that? Wait a minute, it's the Skyless!_ It's frozen, possibly in fear, looking at me nervously. But I do not attack like I would. I am so weak. Besides, this Skyless is different. He is not attacking me. So I don't retaliate. I simply stare up at him. He moves and tilts his head. I tilt mine in confusion. _Why is he hear? Why did he follow me? I thought that roar would have made him rethink tracking me? And why is he different then the others?_


	5. Forbidden Friendship

**_Please bare with me here:) This scene in the movie is REALLY cool with the music but sadly I can't add music so try to...imagine the music? I don't know. But I'm sure it will be fine. Oh, and when the old Gronckle said, [become young again] he didn't mean like [age backwards] he meant Toothless must loose the whole 'revenge and chaos' attitude 'cause Toothless's actually quite young ;) But anyways: READ ON!_**

I pace restlessly around the ravine, pawing the ground. It has been a whole day since my encounter with the Gronckle and I haven't seen him since. _I can't really expect him to come back; can I? But I can maybe expect the Skyless to be back._ I shiver at the prospect. _What if he tells the bigger Skylesses? What if they send an ambush party to capture me so they can use my skin as a trophy? What if_- but there is a splat as a slimy fish lands on the ground by the close wall; like it had dropped from the sky. I jump in fright and duck behind a vertical pile of moss covered rocks. _A fish? How did **that **get here? _There is thud a few feet away from me; like wood on stone. My head whips around and I spot the colours of a Skyless's wooden board wedged between a narrow opening to the ravine... _They're here!_ But I watch in amazement as the Skyless from the previous day ducks under the wood board and gazes around the ravine. _What? Him? And that's a stupid place to put his board. But why is he here again? Why did he come back?_ He tries to pull the wood board free but it doesn't budge. He sighs and slowly moves over to the fish and picks it up under the gills. He glances around nervously.

I watch him with immense curiosity. _Is that a salmon he has?_ I crawl to the top of the pile and watch him walk closer. My tail flicks behind me. _What a strange Skyless he is. He comes with no weapons, no friends, no army. I probably shouldn't go near him. But I'm so hungry!_ I spread my wings a little and move forward. The Skyless spots me out of the corner of his eye and gasps, clutching the fish to his chest. _I thought it was for me?_ I jump to the ground and sniff the air. Yes. By the smell, defiantly a salmon. I 'round and face him head on. I give a small snarl [is that mine?] Though I know he won't understand what I say.

In response, the Skyless reaches forward and holds the fish to me. _Hmm...it **is** mine_. I slowly start to creep forward and half open my mouth. But something reflects the sun in his belt. A sharp poke! I draw back with a growl. No. I won't take the fish! Not with the dragon killing thing in his pocket. No matter how hungry I am. The Skyless frantically searches him self and his hand rests on the sharp poke hilt. I snarl loudly, my fangs bared. [Drop it!] I watch the Skyless's every move as he draws the sharp poke from his belt and holds it loosely by the hilt. He drops it on the muddy ground. It lands with a dim thud. I jerk my head to the lake. [Get rid of it.] I say in disbelief that he will do it. To my surprise, he picks it up with his foot and flings in into the water. _Plop_. I look to make sure its gone.

I think I'm safe. So I sit down and look up at him. _Well_? I make my best cute face. I really want that fish. He looks at him suspiciously but leans forward again and puts the fish forward. I creep up, my back arched, [OK...] I stretch forward, my teeth contracted; about to take the fish. _Do I? Do I not?_ The Skyless mutters something I can only make a few words of. "Toothless?...sworn...have..." I extract my teeth before he can take the fish away. I grab it and he yanks his hand away before I bite **it** off. "Teeth." He finishes. I swallow the fish whole; eyes, tail and everything. _Mmm! That was delicious! Fish has never tasted so good!_ I lick my lips luxuriously. _Maybe this Skyless isn't so bad..._

_Hmm? Any more?_ I start sniffing his loose-furs to see if he's hiding any from me. He starts back up against one of the boulders "Uh...No...any more," I make out. I know he's hiding some! Maybe he wants to trade for one? _I have an idea!_

I cough up the bottom half of the fish and let it fall onto his lap. _There you go._ I sit back on my hind legs and wait for him to eat it. He looks up at me, very confused. I stare at him. _Come on_. He looks back at me. _Are you going to eat it or not?_ He still foes nothing. _OK, I'll have to **show** you how to eat it_. I nod down to the half a fish. _Eat that. _He looks at the fish then at me again. He doesn't seem very happy. _Why? _He sighs before he lifts up the fish and takes a small bite from the side. I prick my ears. _Does he like it?_ He holds it out and nods but his eyes tell another story. _But his cheeks are still full?_ [Then you swallow it] I swallow to demonstrate. He sags his shoulders and rolls his eyes unhappily. _Stupid Skyless! Doesn't know how to eat._ He takes a long time to swallow and puts his hand over his mouth. "Ugh..." I lick my lips. _Now do I get another one? _He doesn't reveal a hidden fish or gives me another one. He just bares his blunt teeth in what I think my mother called...a...a smill? Maybe that's how you trade for fish in Skyless tradition? I narrow my eyes thoughtfully and look at what he is doing with his mouth. _So if I do that I'll get a fish!_ I push my tongue to each part of my mouth and produce my take of a 'smill'. The Skyless looks at me in amazement and slowly gets to his feet. He reaches forward to me with his pink clawless hand. I bare my fangs and snarl. No! I'm not going to that extent.

I turn around and flap to the other side of the lake, my awkward tail just giving me enough time to land on the banks away from the Skyless before I hit the ground. I get up and shake myself off. I blast the ground beneath me in scolding blue flames to create a hot coal bed. I pat them in and I settle down, letting the heat engulf me. I have the most fire proof scales of all the dragon species so I could ly here all day. I would as well, but with the Skyless on the other side of the lake I feel very uncomfortable. A bird tweets in a tree above me and I look up to see a small bird perched on a nest in the fork of a tree. My ears prick. _Dessert? _I look down again and my ears droop. The Skyless is sitting next to me, a few steps away. He lifts his hand in what I think is a greeting. [Leave me alone] I growl unhappily and move my body around so my wings are covering me. My tail curls around me and I close my eyes. _Doesn't this Skyless have some place to be? Some giant muscular Skyless friends to talk to? _I hear him shuffling towards me. _Does this creature ever give up!_ I lift my tail and see him reaching his hand towards me. He quickly stands up and walks away like he wasn't doing anything. _Stupid!_ I get up again and leave my comfortable cinder bed and trudge over to the old tree in the far corner of the ravine and flop down underneath it.

The sun is setting and casting long shadows over everything. As the day wears on, the Skyless stays in the ravine, busying himself with something or other. I open my mouth in a huge yawn and realize I haven't slept well in ages. But I can't sleep on the floor with that Skyless here. I look up at the sturdy branches above me. Maybe...

I hook my tail over a thick limb and hang upside-down like a bat. I fold myself into a cocoon with my wings that block the bright rays of the setting sun. This position is surprisingly comfortable. Soon, I doze off, my sleep empty of dreams. Just the darkness of rest.

* * *

My eyes slowly open. _How long have I been asleep? _Its a lot darker then it was. Yet the Skyless is still here! [Ugh!]

He is sitting slouched on a small rock near the lake bank. He seems to be sticking something in the dirt at his feet. I detach my self from the branch and land cat-like on the ground. I slowly creep over, curious to know what he's doing. I sit behind him; looking over his shoulder. _What the-? _He senses I'm behind him and pauses but carries on. He's scribbling something in the sand with tree branch. No, not just something. Me! I tilt my head and give an almost purr-roar. How is he doing that with his hand? It looks just like my head! I watch him for a few more moments. I'm completely fascinated. _I want to try this!_ I back up and scamper away to one of the nearby trees. _Which one? Which one?_ I search the trees. _Aha! _

_Snnaap_! There is a russel of leaves as I break a huge branch off a tree and drag it back to the Skyless. I scratch it in the ground like he did only the stick is in my mouth. _Watch me! _I spin around, making a loop in the sand. I pull it straight and squint to keep my eyes on the branch. I make a semi-circle then stop for a moment. I look at the Skyless. _Look at my drawing!_ I put a dot with the stick to mark the center. Then I race off again, drawing all the way around the Skyless and spinning to make more loops. This is so fun! Is this what the old Gronckle meant by '_become young again'._ I draw more and more until I sit down to admire my work. The Skyless stands up and glances at the maze surrounding him. It's a map of the caves in the Inferno Mountain! I nod in approval of my work. The Skyless looks behind him at all the different 'tunnels' where dragons would be sleeping. He takes a step forward not looking where he's going. He steps on a 'cave'. I let out an angry snarl. [There are dragons living in those tunnels! You're standing on them!] The Skyless freezes and looks down at where his foot is. He lifts it off the 'cave'. I settle down again and give a happy growl, [thank you]

The Skyless looks at me then at his foot and puts it down again. [Get off the cave!] I snarl angrily. He lifts it off. [Thank you] he puts it down again, [get off!] He lifts it, [thank you] he looks at me and 'smills' again. He steps in between the 'caves', walking backwards and crossing his legs over. _He's missing the caves!_ I think happily, _He's not killing the dragons! He isn't like the other Skylesses! I knew it! _He continues to walk across the maze of caves, stepping carefully. Every step he gets closer to me; in both ways. Finally, he comes to the end and is right underneath my head. I breath heavily and his hair is ruffled. He freezes and looks up at me fearfully, his eyes wide. _Its OK. You're different. I won't hurt you. You're not like the rest..._

He looks at me in mystery and reaches a hand forward. I flinch back and give a small growl. Natural instinct. He takes back his hand and I lose my aggressive roar. The Skyless seems to think for a moment and then looks at the ground. He slowly, slowly moves his hand towards me. He doesn't meet my eyes, which is respectful to a dragon. I stare at his hand. So small. So pitiful. What could it do?...

There is a long pause. I don't know what makes me; but I close my eyes. I move my head forward and it meets his hand. I feel something I've never felt before. Security. Comfort. Belonging. This feels like a dream. Like this is meant to be...

I open my eyes and am snapped out of the dream. I see his hand and him looking up at me. How could I be so foolish! I snort and slip away as fast as I can, running from him. This can't happen! I can't befriend a Skyless!?


	6. The New Tail

The sun slowly peaks over the high wall edges. Few clouds dot the sky giving way to the open blue, the wind whistling quietly. If only I could be up there. Gliding, soaring, diving in the ocean that is the sky...

I hear his voice echoing down the ravine, over the tumbling of the waterfall, calling a word I understand. "Toothless!"

I stir and lift my head to see Skyless making his way into the ravine, stumbling along in his clumbsy fashion. I'm still not sure about him, but I can trust him more then any other Skyless so I'm going to have to bare with him while I try to figure out how to escape from here. He walks over to me carrying a large basket and something very strange under his arm. Maybe I'm imagining it but he seems perticurly pleased with something. But I brush that aside as I slowly get to my feet and stretch my stiff wings. He sets the basket on the ground in front of me but keeps the weird thing to himself but I'm not to fussed about that. All Skyless' things are weird.

He stands behind the basket and mutters some words, "...breakfast...hope...hungry" I sniff the air and my eyes widen. I catch a tang of salt and - Skyless tips the basket over with his foot - FISH! A whole mountain of fish come pouring out and spread across the ground like a wave. I lick my lips in delight as I gaze at the heap of food before me. _So many! So wonderful!_

I look up and Skyless suspiciously and sway on my feet; trying to decide whether to take this gift or not. He is still a Skyless. And I'm not sure about him. But it looks so good...

Skyless slowly starts moving around the basket right so I move left towards the fish, watching him cautiously. He doesn't seem to be doing anything. My gaze moves to the food and is instantly trapped there. _How did Skyless get this much? And how can he fish when he hasn't got any wings or claws?_

[Thank you,] I say simply. Skyless starts chattering quietly about something as I sift through the pile. _Which one? Which one?_ Suddenly I jerk my head back in shock. _Oh no! _I let out a choppy snarl; the sound to ward off evil. I can see a- a - Skyless lifts a yellow and black striped long fish out of the pile and holds it up - AN EEL! Creatures said to be possessed by dark spirits! I give a shriek or pure terror and spread my wings wide. [Get away, evil spirits!]

Skyless looks worried as holds out a hand and tries desperately to calm me as I try to turn tail and run. He tosses the eel away and it slivers into the water. "Not...eel much either," he says comfortingly as he moves away behind me.

I shake my head to make sure there's no dark left in their. _Nothing. The spirit must have left. _I relax as I start to rummage through the fish; making sure there are no more eels. I scoop a salmon straight into my mouth and swallow it whole. _I could get used to this!_ I lift a fish to find a plump cod hidden underneath. I give small roar of delight and push it away from the rest with one paw. I bite it and fling it into my mouth but I don't swallow it whole. I bite down on it, my teeth crunching the crispy scales, the flesh rich and juicy in my mouth. I savor that taste and let it hang on my tongue. _So delicious!_

I pull aside two huge haddocks and three hakes. _Let's see what I can do with these?_

I grab one by the tail and fling it into the air sending it spinning round and round until I reach forward and grab it out of the air and devour it. _Mmm! Sublime!_ I pick up two of the others by there tails as well and toss them both up. I jump to the left to catch one and the right to catch the other. I lick my lips as I swallow them.

I keep shoveling more and more fish into my mouth like they are some how going to run away. I try to grab another one but their are no more outside the basket. _Hmm?_ I try and peer into it. I move forward and stick my head in the basket. I hear a muffled cry from Skyless behind me as I move. _No. There are no more in here. Maybe at the very back?_...I stop dead still. I suddenly get a strange sensation on the end of my tail. I lift my head with the basket still on. _What on Berk? _The basket drops off my face and I stare straight forward. That **is **weird. I slowly shake my lower body, eyes narrowed. Where have I felt that before? Then my wings droop in utter amazement and my jaw falls open. _This can't be...I can feel it again! The feeling that was missing! I don't believe it. My-my tail flap has come back! I can escape! I can't believe this..._

I slowly lift my wings, spreading them as wide as they can go. _I've got this. I'm going to fly!_ I narrow my eyes determinedly and crouch down, ready for lift off. _Here I come!_

I push up and launch straight into the sky with a power flap of my black wings. I hear a yelp of surprise and shock from Skyless but I'm not focusing on him. _I'm soaring! I'm flying! I'm never walking again!_ I feel the rush of the wind, the thrill of the flight that I have missed so dearly. _I am almost at the edge of the ravine now! I'm- I'm- off balance?! _I feel like my tail fin is flapping uselessly and not helping me lift. [I'm falling!] I roar. I flap my wings frantically trying to get back in the air. [Pull up! Pull up] I roar. Suddenly, almost on command, I feel the balance restored once more. My tail fin moves into position and I curve up and straight into the air. I shoot straight out of the valley and into the open air where the wind is blowing. I'm out of here! Finally! I'm a dragon once more! Goodbye Skyless!

I change the angle of my tail fin and bank right; swooping down into the ravine. I skim over the glistening mirror that is the lake. I see my reflection shimmering on its surface. And this time I have a moment to admire it. I hear something chattering behind me and become aware of an extra weight on my tail. What the? I look back and see Skyless clinging onto my tail. _Why is he there? **How** did he get on there?_ [Get off!] I swing myself around and whip my tail forward. He goes flying off with a yell and tumbles into the water with a _SPLASH_! [Yes! Now I can get away from here!] I flap one two three and try and lift away from the ravine. [FREEDOM!] Suddenly I lurch side ways, out of control. _Come on! Flap! _[Arrrggh!] I look down at my tail. _What's happened to it?!_ The new-fin is- is- its **brown**! And its flapping around like a leaf in the wind. I can't control it! Before I know what's happening I'm blasted with cold water as I crash into the lake, my wings spraying out. Why am I not flying?! I spray water out of my nose angrily.

Skyless in the other half of the lake lifts up his arms and cries, "yeah!" Like he's achieved something. _What has he managed to do besides hold onto me...while I flew._ It dawns on me. _Oh no! This isn't my tail fin grown back! This is something Skyless has made! He controls it! he was assisting me the whole time!_

And that means I'm stuck with him.

For good.


End file.
